Trust, but verify
We know our dogs very well.
We know for a fact that it’s unwise to leave anything edible on the kitchen table when Simon is around.
If 16-year-old Tango (pictured on his birthday last month!) is restless, it’s time to get him outside to do his business so we don’t have another load of laundry to do.
When Booker is being “special,” there’s no way to calm him down with just words. He definitely needs a hug.
And if Torque doesn’t notice when Hope leaves the room, he’ll start whining until he sees her again. And it’s worse since he lost an eye.
Reliable to a point
All those are sort of negative things about our dogs that are just built into everyday life. All of them are also reliably great travelers, terrific at meeting new people, and walk nicely on lead. Even on their favorite “sniffari” walks.
With all the training we do and all the things our dogs know, we never, ever take them out without a leash. If they’re outside our yard, they’re attached.
Why? Because we don’t know what they’d do if “SQUIRREL!” crosses our path. And it’s not worth it to us to put it to the test.
Off-lead practice
We’re often asked in our beginner obedience classes when people will be able to walk their dogs off-leash. Our answer is “never.” It’s just not worth it if you live in an urban area.
The situation might be different if there were wide open spaces with no busy roads nearby. Then we’d only be paranoid about parasites and getting lost. But in a densely-populated, highly-trafficked area, there’s just no way to make sure your dog is safe off-lead.
Controlled circumstances
In class we do practice competition exercises off-lead. That’s inside, in a room of known people and dogs. The environment is controlled, with the dog's safety top of mind.
There are dog parks, beaches, and forest preserves that allow off-leash dogs. That’s certainly up to the individual dog owners. But anyone whose dog isn’t a thousand percent reliable when told to “Come!” is taking a risk.
Bred for independence
Our leeriness about off-leash dogs stems, at least in part, from always having small dogs. Most small dogs’ original “job” was varmint control. Which means they think for themselves, solve problems, and don’t rely on their human for directions.
Our reluctance to rely on our dogs’ training vs. their instinct might be different if we’d ever had a dog bred to work with people. Many of the sporting, herding, and working breeds form a partnership with their person. They’re more likely to “check in” and look for feedback.
While that might result in more success in the dog sports we enjoy, it’s probably not going to happen here. Although it has worked for a friend of ours. She stopped trying to train her Brussels Griffons to achieve in Obedience. She still has them, for pets. When she steps in the ring at competitions, she has a Border Collie by her side.